Steps to Acceptance
by kitsun3kidd
Summary: Colette always had a thing for Lloyd. She had to compete with many girls that wanted Lloyd just as much. So far, Colette's winning, but what happens when another guy butts in? Namely, Zelos Wilder. Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Steps to Acceptance**

**A/N:** Hey, peeps. This story is mostly in Colette's POV. Kind of an one-sided Colloyd, and a bit of Zelloyd. Colette is falling in love with Lloyd, but dense as always, Lloyd doesn't seem to notice. She's trying to get him to like her, but what happens if someone else butts in, especially if it's another _guy_? Colette wasn't prepared for _that_, now was she?

I may or may not continue this. It's up you, my faithful readers!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia in any way, shape or form. Heck, I don't even own five dollars.**

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**Chapter 1**

Nice, klutzy, kind, and sometimes pretty was how Colette was often described as. She laughed a lot, and was optimistic most of the time. She also absolutely adored it when Lloyd just said simply, "Colette is Colette."

Colette already used to have a thing for that particular boy, Lloyd. He was always so nice to her, and fun to be around. Colette guessed that it was just his nature to be like that; he was nice to most people he met.

During the Journey of World Regeneration, Colette's bond with Lloyd strengthened, but she often doubted it, and only thought it was one-sided. She'd always feel slightly uncomfortable, like someone had put their hands around her throat tightly, whenever she saw Lloyd with another girl.

Oh, not that she hated any of them, Colette simply wanted them to die and blow up in smithereens. Such a violent child. But then again, maybe she didn't truly feel that way. It was just her love for Lloyd that drove her to do some rather rash things.

Deep inside, Colette didn't want to monopolize Lloyd. She just wanted him to be happy, though she strongly hoped that he would be very happy with her. But…if he didn't want to be with her… _No_, Colette would think and shake her head vigorously, _I will use up to all my abilities to gain Lloyd's love._ And with that, she'd smile to herself, picturing herself living with Lloyd happily.

"Lloyd," Colette called, beckoning the red-clad swordsman over to her, sitting on the soft green grass. Crickets chirped, frogs croaked, and fireflies flew about. It was a typical summer night.

Walking over and flopping down beside the blond-haired chosen, Lloyd glanced at Colette, "Hey. What d'you need?"

"I…Just wanted to talk…" Colette observed the crackling campfire with more interest than before, avoiding Lloyd's eyes. She could feel the blood rushing to her face, and her voice seemed to be lost.

Lloyd, oblivious as to what exactly Colette wanted to talk _about_, asked, "About what?"

It took Colette a few seconds to respond, "I just wanted to know, Lloyd," she looked up, giving Lloyd a searching look, "how you really feel about me."

"Haha, what?" Lloyd laughed, his naïve way of thinking unable to comprehend Colette's words. "What do you mean? You mean if I liked you or not?" Colette nodded, and Lloyd answered, "Well, of course I like you-" the chosen caught her breath, "-just like a sister." Colette heaved a sigh. It was the most insensitive response that Lloyd could give to her.

She looked so crestfallen that even the densest of the dense people would've noticed, and Lloyd placed his red-gloved hand onto Colette's. "You alright, there?"

Pulling her hand out from under Lloyd's, Colette jumped up, tears swimming in her eyes. And without a word, she ran away from the campfire, and into the dark forest, leaving a rather bewildered Lloyd behind.

Colette stopped until she couldn't run anymore, slumped down onto the ground, pulled up her knees to her chest, and cried silently. She mentally yelled at herself, "Don't cry about something stupid like this! You've been through worse!" but Colette couldn't help but think that she'd rather go through the angel toxiosis, or even through the Desians, than have this happen to her. It was as if there was a hole inside her chest, unable to be filled in.

This is why she never wanted to ask Lloyd, she was too afraid of rejection. Too afraid of pain, too afraid of being hurt. _Perhaps I'm just a coward_, Colette would often think to herself.

She stayed in the same position for about fifteen minutes, and finally, Colette had calmed down. Lloyd had never said that he didn't like her, he just said that she was like a sister to him. _I _wasn't _rejected_, Colette thought happily, brightening up instantly.

Later, Colette walked back to camp, looking a lot more cheerful by the time she got back. Lloyd tried talking to her, apologizing for something he didn't even understand, but Colette just smiled her usual smile, and waved it off. She apologized to him that she was just overreacting, and he needn't worry about it.

But for some odd reason, Colette couldn't place as to why, that there was someone watching her. She turned around, looking for the source of the odd feeling. All she saw was Zelos, flirting with Sheena once again, and receiving a rather loud slap.

Colette shrugged, and decided to forget about it, perhaps it was just her imagination.

Oh, but it _wasn't. _

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**A/N:** Well, what do you think, people? I think I did an okay job of doing Colette's feelings, but in some areas...it lacks. R&R PLZ and I will update! :3


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

A/N: The second part of the totally (un)epic story of Zelloyd fluff in Colette's eyes. It's slightly AU, seeing that I keep forgetting the order of events in the ToS storyline. So I guess I'll be relying on the manga for the storyline...though I have played the game like five times over. e_o

R&R PLZ. I've never written anything in Colette's point of view, so...flames are discouraged, but constructive critisism is cool.

**Right, disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia, so please advert your eyes from this message and continue reading my freaking fic.**

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Humming as the group traveled along the bumpy dirt road, Colette took her time to look around; they would not arrive at Sybak in a few hours' time. Tethe'alla had mainly the same surroundings as Iselia, a pang of homesickness struck Colette, but the feeling was kind of different. Tethe'alla just seemed more _grand_. It wasn't something Colette could describe in words. She had once asked Raine about this, and the Professor just answered, "This is what Sylvarant would've been like if it was the flourishing world."

This thought caused Colette to muse albeit about the two entwined worlds. How exactly were the two worlds existing like that? She thought about this for a few minutes until a voice interrupted her thoughts,

"Hey, Colette!"

She turned around, rather taken aback, but then smiled, seeing who it was. "Hello, Genis!"

The familiar half-elf eyed Colette in concern, "Colette, you seem a bit off today."

"W-what?" Colette spluttered, then regained composure, smiling again, "no, no, Genis! I'm fine! It'll be alright."

Genis frowned slightly. "But I saw you watching Lloyd all day!"

_I was? _Colette wondered to herself, and blushed furiously, trying to cover up her embarrassment. "No, really, I'm fine."

Colette could've sworn that Genis's expression was halfway between amused and understanding, but before she could react, his face just looked skeptical. "Alright, Colette, if that's what you think…"

Staring after Genis as he walked up in the front of the group to talk with his sister, Colette fumbled nervously at her dress, thinking. _Am I really that obvious? _It's not like she wandered around Lloyd like Zelos flirting around with Sheena and the rest of the girls…

Yawning, Colette stretched her arms, feeling her muscles relax, and she let out a sigh of relief. Her eyes wandered around, finally stopping at Lloyd and Zelos. She froze in mid-stretch, straining her already ultra-sensitive angelic hearing to eavesdrop on them.

"…you. I really do." she heard Lloyd speak just above a whisper. Colette was now extremely intent on listening in on the two boys' conversation. The first part of Lloyd's sentence…what exactly did he say? She could feel the blood rushing to her ears.

Zelos shrugged this comment off, whatever it was, trying to make it look like it didn't matter much to him, but Colette saw a gleam in his eyes that betrayed his true feelings. The red-haired Chosen merely grinned, "You go and do just that. Don't worry. Just place your faith in me." Colette felt the knot in her chest loosen significantly. So it wasn't some kind of love confession of any sort…

Alarmed with herself, Colette shut her eyes tightly, _Lloyd would never fall for someone like that! Never! _But the feeling of doubt still lingered in her heart, threatening to rise up to her throat like bile, making her have an overwhelming urge to vomit.

A light hand rested on her shoulder, causing Colette to flinch. She turned around with a rather guilty expression on her face. Laughing at the blond-haired chosen's reaction, Sheena grinned, "What's with the face?"

_Why does everyone seem to sneak up on me when I'm not paying any attention? _Colette thought to herself crossly, but shone none of her inner annoyance on her visage. "Do you need something, Sheena?"

"Nah, I just wanted to talk; I'm so bored, walking for hours at a time…" said Sheena, and Colette couldn't help but agree with her silently, "Raine and Regal are always going on about something…I have no idea what, and you've seen what Presea and Genis are like." she sighed, looking utterly bored.

Colette smiled, "So you decided to come and talk to me," she found this amusing, Sheena running around for someone to talk to, when usually it was the other way around. _Speaking of which… _"What about Zelos?" this idea seemed to confuse Colette. Since when did Zelos _not_ talk to any good-looking female in sight? He usually was around the girls so much that it was hard to get him _away_ from themselves.

"Oh, Zelos…" Sheena almost sounded remorseful. "Umm, he's been spending so much time with Lloyd recently…I haven't gotten a chance to talk to either of them.

This piece of information startled Colette. Since when, the great, philandering, Zelos Wilder ever leave (especially one with…a rather large bust) girls alone, instead spending time with another male? And not only that, it was Lloyd that Zelos kept spending time with. Did they have something going on between them?

As if Sheena had read Colette's mind, she giggled, "There's no way that Zelos, out of all people, would be gay. Really, Colette. He loves women too much for that…"

Colette nodded slowly, but hesitantly. More than anything else in the world, she wished she could share the same confidence as Sheena, and for it to be true, too.

It felt as if days had passed once the group had reached Sybak. Colette felt absolutely exhausted, and was relieved to find her back resting on a real bed for once in about a few weeks. As tired as she was, sleep would not come to her. Colette tossed and turned on her bed for hours, thinking about only one thing: How does Zelos really feel about Lloyd?

Stubborn as ever, Colette thought to herself, _Zelos doesn't have anything_…_well, no _really _personal feelings towards Lloyd… _

But even in her mind, that statement sounded utterly pathetic.

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A/N: I'm ending it here because I can. Anyway, R&R plz and I'll probably update faster. Guilt is more powerful than you may think. :3


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